Saturday, January 11, 2014

Trouble of another kind

Sometimes trouble comes when you least expect it. A couple of nights after I made the last post here, I was awakened in the early AM hours. I was gasping for breath and wringing wet with sweat - no pain. I staggered out of bed, took an aspirin, and made the 911 call. A short time later the paramedics arrived in an ambulance and hauled my carcass to the nearest hospital some 25 miles away. I spent 2 days there while they built me up enough to transport me to a larger hospital, approximately another 75 miles away. I spent another 2 days there and was finally operated on to replace a valve in my heart which had simply worn out. After several days to recuperate from the surgery I was transferred to a nursing facility a short drive away. I was finally discharged yesterday and allowed to go home. It has been a hard fight with a short stick, but I am finally gaining ground. I can feel myself getting stronger every day. I went into the surgery expecting pain, but what I wasn't prepared for was the loss of strength. I had little choice about the surgery. The options were few - have the operation or die. Some choice! For several days after surgery, I couldn't have whipped my way through a box of new born kittens! I wasn't allowed to get out of bed without at least 2 people holding onto me for support, not that I could have made it to my feet anyway; but they soon had me up in a walker for short walks in the hallway. Once I transferred to the nursing facility, there were physical therapists there who exercised me every day. Although I am home now, I am still a long way from getting my full strength back. Have to take it slow and easy while still trying to stay as active as possible. How long it will be until I am able to take short walks in the woods, and do a little predator calling, is anyone's guess. My dog, big Bear, is with some good friends in Nevada who were kind enough to drive over and pick him up. I was obviously in no condition to take care of him, so that is a big load off my mind. So that is about it for now, until I have something more interesting to write about.